Monday, July 25, 2016

"This is Amazing!!!"

Hi everyone! It's Emily B. again, reporting back after a week of fun in the sun and the sand. This was my first week at two new sites: Blacks Creek and Carson Beach. I had a blast playing games and exploring the harbor with many enthusiastic, curious kids and the awesome JPA's and LHE's who work at these sites.

It's so great getting to know the kids who return to Black Creek each morning to continue their search for crabs and "minnows" and participate in nature walks around the park property. One boy brought an awesome book about sharks to share, and told me a great deal about bull sharks versus hammerheads. For example, did you know that bull sharks are highly adaptable, and have been found thousands of miles up freshwater rivers, even as far inland as Illinois (up the Mississippi River)? Some of the kids are already brimming with knowledge about marine life, and they're all eager to learn more.

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, a group of preschool-age campers visited Carson, and I took some of them down to the edge of the water with buckets to search for hermit crabs, periwinkles, and evidence of other life forms on the beach. Soon, though, the kids were wading in and using their buckets to scoop up water and dump it on each other, which is a favorite pastime on hot days at Carson. "This is amazing!" one little girl shouted through the water dripping down from her hair. Her words were echoed out loud by a young boy in soaking wet shorts and t-shirt, and the sentiment behind them was evident on the faces of their classmates.

After a while, all five or six kids turned on me, and I found myself (unsuccessfully) dodging splashes and bucketfuls of cool saltwater. I was quickly sopping wet and laughing: it truly was an amazing time!

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Welcome!

Save the Harbor/Save the Bayis a non-profit public-interest Boston Harbor environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Harbor Islands, the Boston Harbor region's public beaches, Boston's waterfront and the marine environment and share them with the public, for everyone to enjoy.

Since 1986, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has been the driving force behind the transformation of Boston Harbor from one of the dirtiest urban harbors in America to one of the cleanest in the world.

As a result of our advocacy, Boston Harbor has been transformed from a "Harbor of Shame" into a source of recreational, educational and economic opportunity and civic pride. Today the beaches of South Boston are among the cleanest urban beaches in the nation, the Boston Harbor Islands are a National Park, and Boston's waterfront has become a compelling destination for residents and visitors alike.

Working with a broad base of civic, corporate, government, scientific, philanthropic and community partners, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay continues to strengthen the connections between communities and the harbor, and promote the increasingly important impact Boston Harbor has on the region’s economy.

Each year Save the Harbor / Save the Bay runs 2 freeYouth Environmental Education Programs that combine recreation and hands-on education to bring Boston Harbor alive for thousands of Boston area young people. Since 2003, we have connected nearly 250,000 youth and teens to Boston Harbor, the Boston Harbor Islands, our region's public beaches and Boston's waterfront.

Our "Boston Harbor Explorers" program serves thousands of young people at the Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown, the Piers Park Sailing Center and Constitution Beach in East Boston, DCR's Carson Beach in South Boston, at Community Boating on the Charles River, on Black's Creek in Quincy, and at Camp Harbor View on Long Island and at The Boston Children's Museum.Our"All Access Boston Harbor"program departs weekdays from the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in South Boston, and brings thousands of youth and teens from more than 100 community groups to Georges or Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park on the Provincetown II.

OurBetter Beaches Program supports dozens of free events and activities on the region's public beaches each year in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

We hope we can count on you as we share Boston Harbor with 30,000 young people on 28 free island excursions and at 40 free events and programs on the region's public beaches in 2018.For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay please visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org